Description
Soft pretzel bites with a rich and creamy beer cheese dip, perfect for family nights, parties, or cozy evenings at home. These pretzel bites are chewy on the inside, crispy on the outside, and paired with a flavorful dip made with three types of cheese and beer.
Ingredients
Scale
- For the Pretzel Bites:
- 1 cup warm water (105-115°F)
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 tablespoons baking soda
- Coarse salt (for topping)
- For the Beer Cheese Dip:
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup beer (lager or ale recommended)
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the dough by mixing warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Add flour and salt, stir until shaggy dough forms, then knead for 5-7 minutes until smooth.
- Let the dough rise in a lightly oiled bowl for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size. Tip: Warm the oven to 200°F, turn it off, and let the dough rise inside the warm oven.
- Make the beer cheese dip by melting butter and cooking minced garlic for 1 minute. Whisk in flour, cook for 1 minute, then gradually add milk and beer, simmering until it thickens. Add shredded cheeses and paprika, stir until melted and smooth.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Punch down the dough, roll into a 1-inch thick rope, and cut into 1-inch pieces. For extra crispy pretzels, boil dough in baking soda solution for 30 seconds before egg wash.
- Dip dough pieces into baking soda solution, place on the baking sheet, brush with egg wash, and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown and crispy on top.
Notes
Customize by adding herbs to the dough, using different cheeses, or adding red pepper flakes for extra heat. For a non-alcoholic dip, replace beer with milk or non-alcoholic beer.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 23g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 35mg